At the close of open-outcry trading on Wednesday, most LME metals closed a touch higher, although flagship metal copper had struggled to hold on to brief gains and closed lower, falling 0.5 per cent on the day at $US7,640 a metric ton. Technical support for the metal is seen at $US7,580/ton.

Aluminum also came back under pressure after an initial surge, and closed lower.

Trading volumes remained subdued and moves lacklustre. And despite a brief rally, which analysts said was helped by stronger Chinese equities, rises failed to gain traction, with weaker-than-expected euro-zone industrial production helping to blunt a brief flutter of gains.